Tivoli Audio Model Two AM / FM Radio, Black/Silver Finish

• Designed by audio legend Henry Kloss
• Highly sensitive and selective reception
• Includes stereo speaker and 15ft. connection cable
• Auxiliary input and subwoofer output
• Mix input to monitor incoming computer audio messages

Lets be frank, the BOSE system is definitely an overpriced product. It is OK product that performs so so... it is also $500. If you really would like a system that sounds 100 times better and costs slightly less, I would look into the Tivoli Model 2 with the Tivoli subwoofer addition. I have tried both, and was only satisfied when I got my Tivoli Model Two. The Tivoli Model Two is definitely going to be classic and a system people talk about for years... mark my words. It was designed by Henry Kloss, one of the most important sound engineers of our time. I have the newest ipod dock with remote hooked up to it and it sounds amazing! Keep in mind that this is a system for people who like to LISTEN to music. True Hi-Fi... not another boomy window shaker system. The Tivoli system has incredible sound separation a really impressive sound stage. Oh and did I mention that it is really cool looking? It has real wood cabinets, minimal solid design+ it does not have the look of a bedside alarm clock!

Hopefully I have just saved some of you true music connoisseurs the headache of having to return their BOSE products... or not. Yours faithfully, Sonic Boom.

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I've owned the Model Two radio with the Sub-woofer accessory for five years now. Initially, I wasn't happy with the cost until I listened to it the first time & then the cost didn't matter. Sounds better than my Harmon-Kardon AVR with Bose surround-sound speaker system.

Pro's: Simple to use; Nice warm "vacuum-tube radio" sound like I remember hearing from my Grandfathers radios as a small child (I half expect to see the soft orange glow of the vacuum tubes peaking from behind the grill); Compact, sturdy & solid design; Very, very high quality components made of steel, wood and aluminum rather than plastic, plastic and more plastic; Does only a few things, but does them extremely well.

Con's: Limited cabinet and face-plate finishes and color choices; No surround sound option (two speakers sound so good,four would be amazing); Sub-woofer adds some to the sound, but should do more for the cost; No remote control (ipod dock with remote plugged into the auxiliary input is something of a substitute).

If only it had (in order of importance): Network connectivity to computer music files & related online and satellite radio subscriptions; Small usable remote control; Surround-sound capability.

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I bought this stereo to listen at work. The sound is clear, mixes come through clean, and the features are perfect. Favorite feature is the "mixing" input, which lets you have your computer sound come out through the stereo along with any selected source. The FM Tuner is fantastic, AM reception is alright. Having a built-in AM antenna is nice (most micro-stereos don't have one) so I can listen to AM, but I can't get the stations I want. FM reception is clear, and the sound reproduction from the FM Tuner is very good, as good as FM gets. FM reception is much better on this stereo than anything else I own, including Yamaha home stereos, Panasonic and Sony mini systems. The Model Two is very well built, and performs as expected.

The speakers don't blow you away, but rather sound very "nice". There are no obvious dips and peaks in the frequency response, like so many other small systems. Listening for hours on end to many different types of music is not fatiguing. The stereo separation is amazing, especially if you spread the speakers out.

This stereo works great with my iPod. I use the dock, and an 1/8" to 1/8" connecting cable. You can use the headphone jack, but the dock's line out sounds much better to discerning ears.

There is a subwoofer output, very handy. The subwoofer output is really a "pre-amp" output, controlled by the volume control and both the left and right channels appear discreetly. This raises a couple of issues, the sub-output is not filtered, meaning it contains all the audio frequencies, secondly, it is not buffered, which means if you plug in a mono cable, or combine the outputs using a Y cable, the sound from the main speakers will be adversely affected. Just make sure your subwoofer has separate left and right line-level inputs, and preferably a cross-over adjustment. Note: Avoid the Tivoli Model Subwoofer, it is underwhelming, sounds sloppy and makes very little bass. I use a KLH subwoofer that I purchased for the same price and that works much better.

It is also interesting to note that this stereo can be powered by 12 volts DC, making it an idea candidate for an area where you may need to use alternate power, such as solar, rv, or an AC adapter for Europe.

In summary, there are a variety of inputs and outputs to interface with all of your stuff. The mixing input for computer sound is really cool, and FM tuning is fantastic.

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I just recently purchased this Model Two, but it is my second one. I've had the other one since 2002 and I love it. I really like these for certain uses: I bought my new one to use in my office at home for use with my second television/computer. I have a small LCD display, and the sound out of it is inadequate. These speakers are perfect and provide a great sound. The other Model Two I have at work.

This radio is on par or better in fidelity to other more expensive table type radios, but with the real plus of speaker separation.

Highly recommended.

I have been using the Model Two as the main stereo system of my small city apartment for the past couple of weeks, and I'm very pleased.

Because I live in a small place, a small footprint is important. The smaller the better. I wanted the highest quality sound out of the smallest package possible, and I also wanted a decent AM/FM tuner. The Tivoli Model Two seemed like a logical choice, so I sprung for it. I liked the idea of having full stereo separation and an analog tuner. Analog tuners are actually quite useful these days, because they suffer less interference from all the noise produced by your myriad electronic devices. I also liked the inclusion of an AUX input, as I wanted to use the speakers with my MacBook Pro, iPhone, and (yes) my vintage Technics turntable.

Everything that has been written about the heft and build quality of the Model Two is entirely accurate. The components are enclosed in solid wood and they have a durable feel. Switches click solidly and connections fit snugly.

Since I am something of a radio geek I have a lot to say about the tuner which wouldn't be very interesting to the average shopper, but let me say that the sensitivity and selectivity are rather exquisite on this tuner. Signals are able to be sharply separated without adjacent interference. There's a jazz station I like to listen to that's relatively weak and (unfortunately) only one click of the dial away from a powerful commercial radio top forty bully. The jazz comes in nice and clear and as far as I'm concerned the bully doesn't even exist. The only other radios that have been able to achieve this separation are state of the art digital portables from Tecsun that employ the DSP technology of Silicon Labs, such as the TECSUN PL-380 DSP FM stereo. MW. SW. LW. World Band PLL Radio Receiver, LCD Display, ETM Function Added. You have the option of hooking up an external FM antenna. I recommend the Terk Technology AM/FM+ Radio Antenna

Enough about the tuner the speakers sound awesome! I have the right and left speakers separated by about ten feet, and the stereo image achieved is quite detailed. Bass response is especially rich if you position the speakers a few inches away from a wall. In addition to the tuner I've also used the speakers via the 3.5 mm AUX input in order to watch movies on my computer and listen to music from my iPhone. When listening from my iPhone I use the FiiO L9 L-Shaped Line Out Dock (LOD) Cable For iPod and iPhone

Now, I've also used the Model Two as a convenient way to listen to my my accumulating vinyl collection without having to purchase a bulky receiver. The ART USB Phono Plus Interface Version 2 is a rather elegant solution. Simply hook up the turntable to the phono preamp, and connect the preamp to the AUX input of the Tivoli Model Two and PRESTO, you are listening to the warmth of vinyl in full stereophonic separation.

Why only four stars?

Two things. First, the absence of tone control. I don't really understand why Tivoli omitted a tone control on such a fine system. Even a knob in the back would have been better than nothing at all.

Second, the headphone jack. The quality of the sound through headphones seems to be particularly poor. I have used two sets of headphones with the Model Two, a pair of Bowers & Wilkins P5 Mobile HiFi Stereo Headphones and also Beyerdynamic T50p Tesla Portable Stereo Headphone, both high quality headphones, and I have been really disappointed in the blandness of the audio.

PLEASE NOTE: DO NOT BUY THE SUBWOOFER. Caveat emptor.